Houston police officer James Combs was drunk when he slammed his white Chevrolet Tahoe into an oncoming Corvette last Friday morning, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office. The SUV crushed the coupe, killing the driver, 36-year-old Brian Manring.

Now Combs faces an intoxicated manslaughter charge in Fort Bend County, and may lose his job.

Combs, a six-year veteran of the force who serves in the Midwest Patrol Division, has been relieved of duty pending an internal affairs investigation, HPD spokesman Victor Senties said Tuesday.

Combs was off duty when he veered into the oncoming lane near Beechnut and Westmoor around 6:30 a.m. August 12, police said. After smashing the Corvette, Combs, 33, refused to take a field sobriety test after deputies smelled alcohol on his breath, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies obtained a warrant and drew blood from Combs at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital. Lab results show the officer had a blood alcohol content of 0.17, nearly twice the legal limit.